When oh when will there be a good Beatles movie?

eviltimeban

OK, "Backbeat" was good, but anything else has been made-for-TV tat with awful accents and over acting. "The Linda McCartney Story" was actually a reasonable account of her and Paul McCartney's early time together, and they got a lot of the late 60s period correct. But the actors playing Lennon, Harrison (even though they were bit parts) were TERRIBLE.

I guess the two challenges are 1. choosing the story, and 2. selecting the actors. The story is the hard part; you can't really do a whole biopic as so much happened in their 8 - 10 years of recording. Even if we took some general ideas:

1. A movie about the trip to India, followed by the return home and Lennon's relationship with Yoko driving Paul away; (Ringo briefly left during this period so there'd be plenty of drama).
2. A movie about the psychedelic era, Sgt Pepper etc, although not much really happened at this time.
3. A movie about their breakup. Which, essentially, is the documentary Let It Be! :-)

Now, as for actors, well that's a tough one. You want someone who both LOOKS like who they are supposed to look like; can do the voice, and also encapsulates the energy of that individual. So George, very laid back; John, kind of twitchy but also prone to narcotic hazes; Paul, a ball of energy and so on.

I've heard the name Jim Sturgess associated with Paul's role; he does resemble him but I haven't seen him in anything. The comedian Peter Serafinowicz does an incredible impression of Lennon, but not sure if he could carry the role.

I heard years ago that Jude Law was lining up to play Brian Epstein; I know he narrated a documentary reading from Brian's journals ("as Brian" more or less) but didn't hear any more about this movie.

Anyway, any thoughts?

Mickeroo

Nowhere Boy was great, though more about Lennon than the Beatles I suppose.

mitosis

There's a "good Beatles" now?

eviltimeban

There's plenty of "bad Beatles" out there... ;-)

SunKing

The film the 'Birth of the Beatles' is decent enough, the whole films on youtube too, check it out if you want!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=le2fB1yk_rY

OU812

The problem as you quite rightly state is there's too much time & too many events.

Personally I'd like to see something like a movie set around the shooting of their first movie. A behind the scenes DVD extra if you will.

I wanna hold your hand is an excellent movie. Directed by Robert Zemeckis (I think), it's about a group of American kids who get into the hotel where the Beatles are staying on their first visit to the US & their appearance on the Ed Sullivan show.

The band appear as stock footage, out of focus in the distance or insecure close up (ankles & feet in POV of someone hiding under the bed).

Great script

Kinski

By far the biggest problem facing any attempt to make a "definitive" Beatles biopic - i.e one in the mould of Cash or Great Balls of Fire, focussing primarily on the Lennon-McCartney relationship, covering its peak years and eventual disintegration - is securing the rights to use their music. Without that, you've got no film.

At the moment, the Lennon-McCartney compositions are owned by Sony - if a film were ever to happen a Sony Pictures production would be a good bet - but the recordings are owned by EMI, so it's far from a sure thing that a deal to make such a film would happen.

The demands of good drama require that any biopic be a "warts-and-all" portrayal, and that massively complicates the already difficult and expensive process of securing the rights to use a major recording artist's work in a movie; few public figures are happy to permit a filmmaker to tell their life story in such a manner, not unless they themselves have tight control over the final product, and even posthumous biopics often face resistance from surviving relatives.

FWIW, I doubt any such film will appear while Paul McCartney is still alive (just like I don't expect films on Bob Dylan or David Bowie, or the Rolling Stones, to name but three), but even after he one day passes on its still seems unlikely. I think eventually there will be one, but possibly not until the music and recordings pass out of copyright.

In the meantime, the most successful films based on major pop musicians will mostly remain smaller, more-leftfield efforts like I'm Not There.

Jijsaw

From what I have heard, it's almost impossible to make a 100% honest portrayal of about 1964-1970 because somebody will get ticked off about how they were portrayed coughYokocough. There are so many sides to any story e.g India, Let It Be/Get Back sessions, that you can't do the story justice because somebody will complain.
Plus as somebody mentioned you have to get the rights to their songs, like "John and Yoko: A Love Story" because they have to get permission to use Beatles music, the estates/publishers can ask to "look at the script" and change it around to suit them.
Nowhere Boy, Birth of The Beatles, The Linda McCartney Story and Lennon Naked were preety good movies apart from some inaccuracies. I have yet to see Backbeat because I can't find any link to see it online (any help?). From what I have seen though Gary Bakewell is the only man that can play Paul McCartney accurately, Aaron Johnson as John Lennon and somebody who actually look like George&Ringo (most of the actors look nothing like them and their set as "background characters".
I would like an accurate depiction of the "Hamburg Years" (most are somewhat inaccurate but maybe because I'm picky Why do they always have to change how Paul and Pete set the building on fire can't they just admit they were lighting condoms on fire, it wasn't candles ) Followed by a good Beatlemania film (I Wanna Hold Your Hand is a good depiction of this) and lastly a film about the breakup, showing George leaving and John wanting Eric Clapton to replace him. Also a film actually showing their wifes and girlfriends more, Pattie, Cynthia, Maureen, Jane, Yoko and Linda
(however important they were they always seemed to be left out)
Now that my mini-rant is over Jude Law is in the Brian Epstein documentary clever titled The Brian Epstein Story. Plus Jim Sturgess was in The Beatles movie-musical "Across the Universe" playing the part of Jude, decent film with some good covers as far as I know it's still on YouTube. But him playing Paul...hmm I don't know

Jijsaw

As an add on: There is a new Beatles movie being made about their early years performing in Liverpool but here's the twist, It's being filmed in New York and with American actors *groan*

eviltimeban

That's the thing, most Beatles movies are about the early Hamburg days, possibly because its easier to use the music they played at the time (covers) rather than their own.

Backbeat is worth getting if you can find it; its a pretty accurate portrayl, great soundtrack, and Ian Harte is excellent as Lennon. Gary Bakewell plays Paul. Problem is now he'd be too old to play a young McCartney.

Haven't seen Nowhere Boy, but again its an "origin story". I saw clips of Lennon Naked but I thought his accent was terrible, and certain things like his hair being too long bugged me. :-)

I guess the best thing to hope for is Let It Be coming out on DVD with hours of extra footage! ;-)

AnonoBoy

The guy playing Lennon in the Linda McCartney story was hilarious. So bad it was comical.

Apparently The Hours and the Times is pretty good. But it's a fictionalised story about Lennon and Epstein as opposed to a story of the whole band.

goose2005

Could it be better than this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6frgnqTo1eM

Kinski

eviltimeban wrote: »

Haven't seen Nowhere Boy, but again its an "origin story". I saw clips of Lennon Naked but I thought his accent was terrible, and certain things like his hair being too long bugged me.)

That phrase makes it sound like it covers the time Lennon had a radioactive piano from outer space fall on him and woke up the next day with mad songwriting skills. Which would make for an excellent film.

eviltimeban

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Apparently The Hours and the Times is pretty good. But it's a fictionalised story about Lennon and Epstein as opposed to a story of the whole band.

Ian Harte, same guy. Was very good as Lennon. Too old to play him now though.

eviltimeban

Kinski wrote: »

That phrase makes it sound like it covers the time Lennon had a radioactive piano from outer space fall on him and woke up the next day with mad songwriting skills. Which would make for an excellent film.

They should do that! Like "Lincoln - Vampire Killer" !! :-)

OU812

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50B4TMr_5HA

goose2005

Kinski wrote: »

That phrase makes it sound like it covers the time Lennon had a radioactive piano from outer space fall on him and woke up the next day with mad songwriting skills. Which would make for an excellent film.

And Yoko could be a supervillain femme fatale like Catwoman. Paul is the 'straight man' like Superman, George gets his superpowers from drugs, Ringo is like the Hulk. Pete Best could turn into a villain after being rejected. And Brian Epstein is like Professor Xavier - "Strawberry Fields Academy for Musically Talented Youth".

Jijsaw

eviltimeban wrote: »

That's the thing, most Beatles movies are about the early Hamburg days, possibly because its easier to use the music they played at the time (covers) rather than their own.

Backbeat is worth getting if you can find it; its a pretty accurate portrayl, great soundtrack, and Ian Harte is excellent as Lennon. Gary Bakewell plays Paul. Problem is now he'd be too old to play a young McCartney.

Haven't seen Nowhere Boy, but again its an "origin story". I saw clips of Lennon Naked but I thought his accent was terrible, and certain things like his hair being too long bugged me. :-)

I guess the best thing to hope for is Let It Be coming out on DVD with hours of extra footage! ;-)

Haha yeah the Lennon Naked hair bit annoyed me too but as far as Let It Be being released hmm I don't know.
Yoko doesn't want it to be released as it portrays her as an almost "stalker" always at John's feet.
Likewise Paul doesn't like to be seen as a "prick" which he sort of was during the LIB sessions which he had to be though because Lennon couldn't be bothered to work and wanted out. Harrison wanted more of his songs to be put in their albums. Starr wanted to work on acting etc. Plus Paul has a good public image right now, so if it gets mass-rerelased some people might think of Paul in a different light.
George hated the movie so that's his estate (Dhani and Olivia Harrison) out
As far as I know John never really commented on the LIB film.
The fans all want to see it, the director Michael Lindsay-Hogg wants out but if it'll ever see the light when the remaining Beatles are still on this Earth...I don't know. But I've always wanted to see the full "rooftop concert" all 40 minutes of it

Jijsaw

goose2005 wrote: »

Could it be better than this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6frgnqTo1eM

I think Justin Long is a brilliant George Harrison, so Aaron Johnson as John, Justin Long as George now to find a young Paul/Ringo Let the hunt begin!